This is the latest in a chain of events which is becoming increasingly hard to understand and to explain, and just how complex the situation has become in Catalunya is illustrated by the fact that no sooner had his appointment been confirmed after the investiture debate than Sr Torra stated unequivovally that he is not the “real” president. “Our president is Carles Puigdemont”, he affirmed, referring to the man he succeeds and who is currently in Germany awaiting a ruling on whether he will be extradited to Spain on charges of sedition and misuse of public funds for his role in the declaration of independence and the events leading up to it.

This leaves an intriguing situation in Catalunya, where the man sworn in as president and leader of the government accepts or implies that in fact there is a higher authority whose physical presence is not possible. In other words, he is merely the representative in Catalunya of the absent but superior Sr Puigdemont: it is tempting to draw parallels with the role of Pope Francis as the representative on Earth of a very different higher authority.

In his acceptance speech, Quim Porra made little reference to his agenda while “temporarily” in office, although it was filled with the hard-line separatist rhetoric with which he has become associated since entering the world of politics last year. He talked of a process of separation from Spain without a specific timeframe, and explained that a “republican council” in Catalunya will be presided over by Carles Puigdemont from either Berlin or Waterloo in Belgium.

He ended his address with the phrase “Visca Catalunya Lliure!” (Long live a free Catalunya).

Meanwhile, there is speculation that another regional election could be held soon after 27th October this year, once 12 months have passed since the December election was called.